Igneous Petrology (Part 3 - Igneous Rocks Classification, Igneous Rocks Association) Flashcards
A.K.A mafic index, is the proportion of mafic minerals in the total population of felsic and mafic minerals
Color Index (CI)
A much more accurate method of obtaining a mode for any coarse-grained rock done by moving a thin section incrementally on a grid system such that at least 400 minerals are tabulated for each thin section.
Point count analysis
The first norm classification devised by Cross, Iddings, Pirsson and Washington
Cipw Norm
A classification by the IUGS based on the modal concentrations of Quartz, Alkali feldspars, Plagioclase feldspars, and Feldspathoids, which applies for igneous rocks with >10% felsic minerals and <90% mafic minerals (M) content by volume.
IUGS Classification
A quantitative analysis that determines the abundance of a component of a material.
Normalization
Steps in Normalization
- Identify included minerals
- Sum up the quantity
- Normalize components
- Plot the percentages
State what minerals are in the QAPF Mineralogy
Q- Quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coestite, stishovite
A- Orthoclase, microline, sanidine, perthite, anortholase
P- Anorthite, Bytownite, Labradorite, Andesine, Oligoclase, Albite
F- Nepheline, sodalite, cancrinite, leucite, etc.
Suites of rocks that form in response to similar geologic conditions
Petrotectonic Associations
3 Petrotectonic Associations
- Divergent Plate Boundary Magmatism
- Convergent Plate Boundary Magmatism
- Intraplate Magmatism
Primarily driven by the decompression of the asthenosphere in response to lithospheric extension resulting in partial melting of mantle peridotite at divergent margins, producing basic (mafic) melts that rise to solidify and produce oceanic crust.
Divergent Plate Boundary Magmatism
A sequence of the ocean lithosphere containing four distinct layers
Ophiolitic Sequence
Slices of ocean lithosphere preserved in landmasses.
Ophiolites
Explain the 4 Layers
Layer 1: well stratified marine pelagic sediments
Layer 2a: containing pillow basalts
Layer 2b: containing diabase dikes
Layer 3: gabbro section and layered peridotite
Layer 4: Boundary of the mohorovic discontinuity
Basalts and gabbros that are geochemically distinct which formed from partial melting of lherzolite at ocean spreading centers, and contain plagioclase, augite, hypersthene, pigeonite, diopside and olivine.
Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts (MORB)
Two types of MORB
Normal Morb (N-MORB)
Enriched Morb (E-MORB)
Strongly depleted in highly incompatible elements
N-MORB
Contains higher incompatible elements
E-MORB
What are the “incompatible elements”
Light rare earth elements (LREE)
Large ion lithophile (LIL)
High field strength elements (HFS)
- lons that are easily accommodated in the crystal lattice and mineral structure.
- Concentrated in the solids
Compatible Elements
- lons that do not fit into the mineral structure of rock- forming minerals at the time of crystallization of the magma, leading to accumulation in the residual magma and concentration in late-stage differentiation.
- Concentrated in the melt
Incompatible Elements
What is compatibility in geochemistry?
indicates the presence of certain trace elements in rocks
Generates chemically diverse igneous assemblages that erupt in the convergent margins widely distributed around the globe, occurs for thousands of kilometers parallel to the trench, and up to 500 km perpendicular to the trench in the direction of the subduction.
Convergent Plate Boundary Magmatism
Variables that can diversify magma composition
- Composition and geometry of crust
- Composition of material undergoing anatexis
- Flux melting
- Diversification process
- Dip angle of the subduction zone
The calc-alkaline association - signature volcanic rock suite of convergent margins which is one of the most voluminous rock assemblages on Earth.
Basalt, Andesite, Dacite, Rhyolite (BADR)
Tholeiites containing 16% wt. of Al2O3 concentrations
Arc tholeiites
Contains higher alkali concentration without iron enrichment
Calc-alkaline tholeiites
Found in youthful island arc systems. (>52-57% SiO2)
Basaltic andesite
Common in nature continental arc systems. (57-63% SiO2)
Silicic andesite